It's Your Move
by xoc13
Summary: A disappointing ending... Divided opinions... No Happily Ever After... Will Stephanie finally make the right decision?
1. Chapter 1

**The muse made a reappearance and I was recently able to return to writing FF. As I've been working on new chapters for my pending stories, this idea refused to leave. I decided to get the first chapter out and let you the readers decide if you're up for this storyline. It will be three/four chapters at most.**

 **Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.**

"Well that was disappointing." Connie muttered as we watched the credits roll and heard the theme song play for the last time.

"Yup." I agreed.

"What kind of _ending_ is that?!" Lula huffed out her annoyance as she slammed the laptop closed. "Not even a hint at a happy ending." Lula sounded like she was ready to cry.

"Calm down." Connie said. "It's just some _stupid telenovela_."

I'm not sure why, but several weeks ago Lula registered for a Spanish for beginner's course. Without knowing it one day Connie and I got sucked in on Lula's homework, which consisted of watching a soap opera episode and then answering a series of questions about said episode. Despite having to rely on the subtitles to fully understand the story, it sort of became a ritual during our lunch break. The story was so good that it hooked you from the start.

"Oh please." Lula shot a pointed look Connie's way. "Like you weren't rooting for them to end up together."

"I know!" Connie burst into tears. "They were meant for each other."

The ending sucked, sure, but Connie might be exaggerating a bit too much. Probably the cause of a lack of a current romantic relationship.

"No more of these for me." Lula shook her head vigorously, making the tiny beads at the end of her braids clank together. "Nuh-uh." More vigorous headshaking. "She had _two_ , not one but two, hot guys to choose from and what does she do? Encourage one to move one with the same lame ass chick who made her life miserable for half of the story _and_ then told the other one that because of everything they've been through they _can't_ be together?" Lula was on a roll. "Ridiculous, I tell ya."

"Well, I gotta go." I said to the two before they shifted their attention to me and _my inability_ to fully choose between the two men in my life.

"Homegurl should have stayed with the hot, rich Raul." Lula kept going, not acknowledging my goodbye comment.

" _What?!_ " Connie leaned on her desk, inadvertently giving me quite a flash of the girls. "Were you even watching the same show?" She shook her head in disagreement. "She should have chosen the lovely Gabriel, who also happened to be secretly rich."

"No, no, no, no." Lula was having none of it. "Let's settle this. What do you think?" In a matter of seconds the bickering between the two stopped, silence reigned and all eyes were on _me_.

"Raul!" We heard Vinnie shout from behind his closed office door. Ugh, that gossipy weasel.

"I'd hate to be the one in agreement with Vinnie." Connie commented to Lula, grinning victoriously. No one wanted to be on the same side as my sleazy cousin.

"Thanks for the backup, but I was talking to Stephanie!" Lula shouted back, probably to Vinnie's amusement.

Again all eyes were on me and it would be damn near impossible for me to make an undetected escape.

"Well? Team _Rrraul_ or Team _Gabrrriel_?" Lula asked, purposely rolling the r's for dramatic effect. Geez, what has this show done to us?

"Uhm, well, Raul was the _obvious_ choice." He was the protagonist and the story revolved around him. "But Gabriel was the one she _should have_ chosen." He loved her unconditionally and even risked his life on more than one occasion for her.

"Told you." Connie's victory grin widened.

"Nah, hold up." And then they were at it again. Lula started listing the reasons why Raul was the one only to be quickly countered by Connie's reasons why Gabriel was the one. It was a back and forth deal that looks like it isn't going to end any time soon.

Luckily for me, I was saved by the bell. Well, more like the ringing of my cell phone. "I have to go." I shouted and waved my cell phone just in case either of the two chose to look my way. They didn't, both were too engrossed in their 'discussion'.

My heart seemed to skip a beat when I saw Ranger's name flash across the screen. "Yo." I answered just before the call went to voicemail.

"Babe." God, just the sound of his voice affects me with the same intensity as his touch. In his usual Ranger fashion, he got right down to the point. He had a job for me.

I zoned out to the sound of his voice, and quickly went from lust filled thoughts to contemplating my life. Morelli, the Raul in my life, has been out of the picture for several weeks now. Months before the break-up things were shitty at best. For that reason, we're on a permanent off-phase. Despite being officially single and having no reason to feel guilty for ending up in Ranger's bed, I've avoided being alone with him as much as possible. Sex with Ranger is always magical, but then what? What happens next?

"Babe?" From the sounds of it, it wasn't the first time he said his nickname for me in order to get my full attention.

"Yeah."

"Did you hear me?"

"Absolutely." I fibbed.

"Babe." His name for me can mean a lot of things. I can usually decipher the meaning based on his tone and this time it meant, ' _oh really?_ '.

"Yeah. Distraction job tonight. Wear something sexy." I said instinctively.

Silence filled the line for several beats before he spoke again. "Little black dress." He added just before he hung up. No goodbye, nada.

My drive back to Rangeman was uneventful. I drove on autopilot, so that's probably why it felt like I got there in no time.

As I headed up to the fifth floor, I made a mental list of what I still had pending. If I can knock out whatever got piled on my desk during my lunch break, I'll have enough time to shave and exfoliate all the right places. I haven't gone out in a while. Even though I'm going out to work, with Ranger I can never be too prepared. I'm going on two months working at Rangeman while juggling the few skips that stagger my way and in that time things have been extremely tense between Ranger and I. The sexual tension is at its peak at the moment. It's like we've been circling each other since my split with Morelli, too cautious to make move. With Joe out of the picture, there's no going back once the walls fall and I let Ranger fully in. It seems like we're both on the same page about us. Whoever makes the first move will determine how this goes. I admit I've been extremely guarded, mostly because of fear. Fear of wanting too much and not receiving it. At this point in my life, I'm not ready for any more romantic failures.

I'd just sat down at my cubicle when I felt someone approaching me from behind. Looking over my shoulder, I spotted none other than Lester headed my way.

"I just can't, Beautiful." He said melodramatically.

Oh God. "Can't what?" I asked, cringing before he responded.

"I can't believe I devoted so much… almost two hundred episodes and for what?" Lester perched himself on the edge of my desk, putting me almost at eye level with his crotch. "That ending was so…"

"Shitty, I know." I smacked his thigh in an effort to get him off my desk so that I could work and go home soon.

"That does _not_ even begin to describe it."

Two weeks ago my latest POS car gave me trouble. Although I could have borrowed a fleet vehicle, I decided to stay in during my lunch break. I got the link from Lula and watched the day's episode so that I could comment with her and Connie the next day. For whatever reason, Les ambled over to my desk and was instantly hooked. I think it was mainly because of the beautiful women, but he insisted it was the story.

"Not everyone gets a happily ever after ending, I guess." I shrugged while attempting to get him off my desk. No success. He's all muscle.

"She belonged with Raul." Lester said matter of fact.

"In your dreams." I heard Ram mutter just before his head popped up from several cubbies over. "His mom was psycho."

"That was not his fault!" Lester defended. "How can he be responsible for his mother's craziness? How is that fair?"

"Not the craziness." Ram agreed. "But he never stood up to her."

And there it was. Two full grown men debating over a soap opera ending. What have I done? I broke the Merrymen.

"I agree." Woody appeared seemingly out of thin air to join the Team Raul/Team Gabriel debate. "Gabriel."

And they went at it. It was the same Lula/Connie debate except it was narrated by deep, masculine voices.

Just when I was about to lose hope, Les finally stood up. As he moved forward to continue the heated argument, I spotted Ranger in the hallway. He was on the phone, speaking indistinctly.

And as I watched him disappear from view, I realized it was _my move_.


	2. Don't Give This Up

**Wow, it's been a while since I've written anything. RL's been quite hectic lately. I appreciate and thank you all for reading and reviewing (read the reviews but didn't have a chance to reply yet).**

 **Thursday night I was proctoring an exam and finally had the chance to start reading Tricky 22 (it was a gift for Christmas). Let me just say I was extremely disappointed in Ch 1. That scene with JoMo pissed me off so much. I voiced just that in the** _ **Babe and Plum Family Challenges**_ **FB group. Turns out I'm not the only one who had an issue with that scene (and possibly the book as a whole). Anyway, I got to thinking and realized this story was already set up in such a way that I could turn that disappointment from the book into a nice chapter.**

 **This is what I think should have happened (eventually) after that horrendous scene (seriously, did JE switch over to the horror genre?…).**

 **I downloaded the youtube music app the other day and stumbled upon a song that I feel fits great for this story.**

 _ **Josh Kelley's It's Your Move**_

 _ **If you want this as bad as I do, then it's your move**_

 **Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE. Mistakes are mine (I know I'm a bit rusty after such a long writing hiatus). Warning for some smutt. The ending kinda wrote itself.**

"Wrap it up." I instructed Tank as I passed him on the way to the exit. "Our work is done here." He gave me a small nod of acknowledgement before signaling Bobby.

With my hand secure on the small of her back, I escorted Babe to the Turbo. The way her dress rode up her smooth thighs the tiniest bit as she angled in and settled on the seat was reward enough for opening her door. As discretely as possible I adjusted myself as I rounded the back of the Turbo. Babe in that little black dress has been quite a temptation this evening.

The drive to her apartment was just as uneventful as our distraction job. That's quite an accomplishment where she's concerned. It's also a little disappointing. She tends to spice up even the most boring jobs. Tonight, however, she seemed... off. Distracted? Something was obviously on her mind. The way she kept unconsciously biting her lower lip gave her away.

I snagged the last open spot in her lot, just by the door. That got a smile out of her.

"I swear you've got the best parking luck." Her chuckle was contagious.

But before my laughing fully subsided her lips were on mine. It was a simple, innocent peck on the lips. Too fast and fleeting to really savor. I couldn't help comparing it to the type of kiss a longtime couple would share.

By the time I snapped myself out of the happy haze Babe was already out of the car. I caught a glimpse of her entering the lobby through the rearview mirror. Heart beating fast I waited. For what? I wasn't sure.

Things have evolved somewhat slow and cautiously between us ever since her final break-up with Morelli. And this time everyone knows it's finally and completely over between them. I'm not sure what was the last straw but things ended quite civil between them. I have it from good authority that she simply told him it was over when she bumped into him at Tasty Pastry several weeks ago. There was also a rumor that he'd broken up with her _already_ but kept trying to get back into her pants. Idiot.

When I saw her bedroom light flicker on I realized she wasn't coming back down. I'd be a liar if I said I internally wished and hoped she would. With a sigh of resignation, I backed out the parking spot and peeled out of her lot.

Sometimes I wish I had a time machine to rewind back to that day at the diner. Erase every stupid thing I've done and said where she's concerned, starting with my idiotic suggestion for her to go back to him. Some days I think that it's possible for us to try to have a normal relationship. Hell, everyone knows we love each other. Even my teenage daughter can see what keeps us apart is nothing but our own bullshit excuses and fear. Fear of things not working out between us and losing what little we already do have.

I'd just entered my apartment and tossed the keys on the little silver bowl when laughter bubbled out of my lips. _Who am I kidding?_ Our relationship's been anything but normal from the start. Hell, I saw her wet and naked basically from day one.

"I wouldn't change that." I murmured to myself just as the front door opened and closed. Turning around I spotted her leaning against the door. "Babe?"

"When you didn't follow I realized it was up to me." She was still wearing the little black dress, which means she rushed after me as soon as I left her lot. I could feel the grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. God, I was an idiot. I pride myself on being an opportunist and tonight I missed the biggest one I've ever been given. "It's my move."

As she pushed off the door to walk towards me, my feet unglued themselves to take a step forward. I met her halfway, eliminating the short distance between us in less than a second. Our lips met, ferociously continuing the kiss we shared in her parking lot. This one was a full blown kiss, nothing innocent about it. The way our tongues tangled and our hands caressed each other turned the moment serious quickly.

Sometime before we broke for air my hands slid under the tight hem of her dress, caressing the soft skin of her thighs as they moved up. Backing her up against the wall, my hips rolled against hers. My fingers curled into the sides of her barely there thong as we resumed our heated kiss and my erection rubbed against that sweet, sweet pie of hers.

Amidst moans and groans, we broke for air once again. Her hands were flexing against my ass to keep me grinding into her. Wolf grin in place, I skimmed my lips down her throat, across the exposed tops of her breasts and down her torso over the silky material of the dress that tortured me all night.

"Ranger." She huffed out her protest when I moved back. Opening her eyes, that naughty grin she gets right before we get naked surfaced. She knew. Babe knew what I had in mind and she was on board.

I dragged her panties down her smooth legs, peppering kisses as I went lower, and helped her kick them away before I returned my attention to a certain part of her. Before I had a chance to do it, Babe lifted the dress, causing the material to bunch at her waist and leaving her bottom half completely bare. With one hand landing on one shoulder and her thigh on the other, Babe opened herself up to my hungry gaze. Her intoxicating scent, the feel of her against my touch and her taste all combined to seal the deal right from the start. This woman's owned me from day one. I once thought that sleeping with her would break the spell. It didn't. If anything, it made me more addicted to everything about her.

I'd been so engrossed in my task that her first orgasm of the night startled me out my deep thoughts. As the pleasure rushed through her I was rewarded with her taste flooding my senses. It felt like an eternity since the last time we were intimate. Her fingers speared through my hair, pressing me tightly against rippling center. Happily, I lapped her clean as she rode the final waves of her orgasm.

I felt her slump against the hard surface behind her, so I immediately held onto her hips to keep her from sliding down.

She tugged at my suit jacket as our lips met once again. I cooperated, quickly shrugging it off my shoulders. With my hands on the backs of her thighs I silently urged Babe to wrap her legs around my waist. She got the message, doing just that as I lifted her up. With her arms looped around my neck and mine around her waist, I navigated us towards my bedroom. With every step my covered cock brushed against her. Every movement tore a moan from us, helping build the moment even more.

S&R

I woke to the sound of movement on the bed next to me. As consciousness took over, everything came flooding back. Babe's arrival and every round that followed after that. With age comes experience and stamina, but after the third round a break was a must. I'm not that young anymore and so I had to sneak in some recovery time. Babe was fine with it, snuggling contently against me. We must have fallen asleep right after.

Eyes closed I followed the sounds of her movements. I felt the bed dip as she stood. Her footsteps were soft and as silent as can be. It seemed like she was being cautious to not wake me up. I felt my stomach clench with anticipation. She was going to leave. The way she was moving about the room told me she was collecting her clothes, preparing to make a speedy escape.

To my surprise, the bed dipped again as she rejoined me. I felt her straddle my waist, the heat of her against my dick is unmistakable. _What the hell was she up to?_

Her hair caressed my face as her hands grabbed mine, tugging to bring my arms over my head. Noticing how easy she was able to do it alerted Babe that I was awake. Smiling lips pressed against mine just as I felt cold metal close around my wrists.

"Handcuffs?" I murmured against her lips. "Naughty." I laughed, eyes still closed, awaiting her next move. She's the only person I've ever trusted enough to let my guard down. Anyone else would have been shot for a lot less. I relinquished all control. She could do anything and everything she wanted.

Babe blindfolded me with a soft material, possibly my tie, just as her lips pressed against mine. The kiss was so intense that it had me straining against the cuffs. Kiss swollen lips left a trail of nipping kisses along my jaw. When she reached my ear a cold shiver ran through me. This was it. Whatever she had planned, I was about to find out.

" _It's your turn_." She whispered simply. And just like that she was off of me and out of the room. Fighting my racing heartbeat, I tracked her as she moved through the apartment. The faint click of a door shutting in the distance told me she was gone.

Confused and turned on as hell, I struggled to grasp what had just happened.


	3. Somewhere On A Beach

**Thanks for the awesome support on the last chapter. Ranger's gonna make the right choice. Doesn't mean he'll have it that easy though.**

 **Finished Tricky 22 and although I liked a few aspects of the book, I still feel like there was something missing. The ending was quite disappointing…**

 **Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.**

The sound of her laughter drifted down the hall, spilling into my office. I left my door open for that exact reason. Mind still whirring from last night's events, I bolted out of my chair. I had to catch her before she slipped away. She tends to avoid me for some time after we spend the night together. Well, not today. There has to be something behind her leaving me cuffed. It was a _message_. Of that I'm sure.

Because of client meetings for me and installation jobs for her I've yet to spot her this morning. So when I heard her voice I knew it was now or _never_.

"Babe." I caught her just as she exited the control room with Woody by her side. She was wearing the standard Rangeman uniform of cargo pants and T-shirt. Upon closer inspection I realized it was _my_ T-shirt she was wearing. It had the newer logo, which means she must have commandeered it last night before leaving. Despite the loose fit her curves still made a brief appearance here and there when she moved.

"Boss." Woody said nervously, obviously noticing the heat of my stare on her.

Was I blatantly undressing her with my eyes? Hell yes.

"Ranger." She nodded in acknowledgement, scanning me from head to toe. Those blue eyes sparkled with mischief as she noted my bare wrists. A hint of a smile escaped her. Of course she knew getting out of the cuffs would be a walk in the park for me.

I invited her up to my apartment. "For _lunch_." My barely there grin was hint enough of what awaited her upstairs.

"Oh, uhmm…" She glanced at Woody, unfazed by my innuendo. "I'm having lunch with the guys. Les is buying."

"You're invited, of course." Woody added, detecting my displeasure. It was probably rolling off me in waves. She was avoiding being alone with me. Not a good sign.

"Great." I accepted the invite. "Ride with me." I told her.

"I'm riding with Woody." She countered.

"I don't mind." Smart Woody.

"My bag's in your truck." She told Woody, making a point to remind him of their afternoon installs.

Yeah, she was avoiding me big time. But before I could argue my cell buzzed with a text from Tank.

 _Sampson is requesting you. Only you._

I blew out a sigh of annoyance. Sampson is an elite client and this morning he requested our protection services for his partner. I didn't want to deal with anything other than Babe at the moment, but Sampson is a big account not just here in Trenton but also for the Miami office. Fuck.

"I guess duty's a calling." Babe said with a finger wave as she and Woody made their moves to head out.

As I watched her load the elevator I couldn't help but smile. _I'll get you later, Babe._ She can't run from me. Not this time.

S&R

I'm not sure if this was some twisted joke the universe had in store for me, but damn I probably deserve it. Sampson's partner turned out to be none other than Richard Orr. My job is to protect Babe's _ex-husband_. Yeah, had to be some sort of cosmic joke.

And that joke turned into torture when Joyce Barnhardt showed up to keep Orr company.

I've bumped into her in the past. On her short lived stint as a bounty hunter, to be exact. No one ever knew, at least not from my lips, but she showed up at my building once. She told Ram in the lobby she had urgent information in relation to Babe. I authorized her entrance to the building. Big mistake. She stripped down in my office, offering me a 'wild time' in exchange for my bounty hunting knowledge. In a previous time I might have accepted, but there's only _one_ bounty hunter I'll ever help, sex or no sex. After that embarrassing meeting, for her, she's held a grudge against me. I'm not sure what methods Ella used to get her dressed and out the door, but it's obvious Joyce wasn't a fan.

"Want some, hot one?" She purred my way once she climbed off Orr's lap. They'd just shared some weird mouth sucking type kiss. "I won't tell Stephanie." Her eerie laugh bounced off the walls, causing a few of my men to shiver.

"Jesus, _you're_ with Stephanie now?" Orr shook his head as if to pity me.

And in that moment I realized something. I always thought Babe's insecurities stemmed from Morelli, but it's obvious the root of most, if not all, is sitting right before me. She married him and that blew up in her face real fast. All the men in her life have been idiots. I might just take the number one spot. Hell, Morelli and Orr are both natural born assholes. But _I chose_ to be one every time I used qualifiers for my love or told her to go back to her 'boyfriend'. Damn. I fucked up.

"You could be with _anyone_ , but _you chose her_?" Orr's sickening snort of laughter snapped me out of my thoughts. "Man, she's got _so_ many rules. She won't even su…"

I didn't let him finish that thought. I yanked him by the collar of his shirt and lifted him in the air until we were at eye level. "I find out you so much as think about her, I'll hunt you down and dispose of you like the trash you are." I gave him a firm shake, just hard enough to scare the crap out of him. "She's mine. Got it?"

"Ye-yes." Orr was scared shitless. Good. That ought to teach him.

I'd just gotten behind the wheel of the Turbo when my phone rang. It was Tank. "Yo." I answered.

His laughter spilled into my ear. "Hector just sent me a video." More laughter. "His face was priceless!" Tank doesn't laugh much, but when he does the levees break and it turns uncontrollable. "You headed to her?" The laughter was still there, but somewhat controlled. I didn't need to answer. He knew I was. "Good. About time." He let out one last chuckle before getting down to business. "Her trackers put her in her apartment." Before hanging up Tank said he'd make alternate arrangements with Sampson.

I drove straight to her apartment, ready to make _my move_. We're not normal. A conventional relationship might never work, but one fitted to our lifestyles just might.

Her bedroom light was on. _Good_ , I thought.

Like usual, I let myself in. The apartment was dark, except for the light spilling from her bedroom. Determined, I marched towards the light.

To my surprise I didn't find the woman I was looking for. Instead of Babe, a slightly shorter and rounder at the hips woman was sitting on the edge of the bed. She was wearing a silky bathrobe and sipping red wine. The bottle, still mostly full by the looks of it, rested on the side table next to an empty glass. She was expecting some else.

"Hi!" She said tipsily. "I'm Mary Lou." Her words were slightly slurred. Probably a lightweight drinker just like Babe. "You must be Mr. Dark Tall and Handsome." A crooked smile left her lips. "Damn, Steph wasn't lying when she said you were Batman." A drunken giggle escaped. "Anyway, she told me to give you this."

I felt like someone had yanked the floor beneath my combat boot-clad feet. She left. I'm too late. Babe made a run for it. With a shaky hand, something I'll never admit to the general public, I took the envelope Mary Lou handed me. A mixture of emotions flooded me as I tore the envelope. Holding my breath, I took out the contents.

The first item was a photograph. Babe was at the beach, probably the Jersey shore from the looks of it, wearing a very _flattering_ two piece bikini. The photo wasn't recent. Had to be from before I met her, because her perfect ass was bullet-scar free. Like I said, the bikini was flattering… in that it showed _a lot_ of skin.

The second item was a post card from the Newark Airport with her handwriting.

 _I'm_ _somewhere_ _on a beach. Bring shorts if you decide to follow…_

"Somewhere on a beach?" I stared at the post card for several beats. This woman wants me to lose my sanity. A beach? Fucking where?

"Steph said you'd _know_." Mary Lou supplied cryptically. Or maybe the alcohol already had her floored. Hard to tell.

I heard the front door open and close, followed by running footsteps. "Sorry, couldn't find parking." A gangly man said, panting as he rushed into the bedroom. He stopped short when he spotted me.

"Steph paid for an all-night babysitter." Mary Lou shot me a pointed look as she cocked her head towards the other man. Her husband quite possibly. They both wore matching wedding bands. "So…"

"Hey, man." Mary Lou's husband clapped his hands, joining his wife's efforts to get me out of there. "Go find your woman." And with that I ceased to exist to the two of them.

Based on how they looked at each other, it's possible they'll have an addition to their family several months from now. As I headed out of the apartment I made the mental note to have Ella send a cleaning crew when those two were done.

Hands on hips I scanned the deserted parking lot. A beach? Glancing at the post card one more time, hoping to find a new clue, was useless. "Oh Babe." I sighed. This woman really will be the death of me. "A beach, beach, beach, beach….a beach!" There's only one beach she could be talking about.

And it's in _Hawaii_.


End file.
